6-11-12 Valley of the Angels

We spent the morning at a day care playing with kids. It was a lot of fun I especially bonded with a little boy named Alex. We spent the rest of the day at Valley of the Angels souvenir shopping. I got all the souvenirs I wanted to get while I was here. For dinner we ate at the same restaurant that made everyone on our team except for me sick last year, but we didn't have papusas this time. I also got to give a devotional during their group time and it was about living all out for the gospel and giving everything. I was blessed to have the opportunity to share a powerful message that Christ had put in my heart.

6-11-12 Back

Camp was an amazing experience. In preparation for the teams coming in we prayed over every seat, we prayed over bunks, we prayed over the doors and the road into camp. We prayed that the Lord would show up in a big way and change lives and from the first night he did. Several students the first night committed their lives to the Lord including a man in his early 20's named Daniel whom I met Tuesday in Villa Franca. It was an amazing experience. I prayed with him as he was weeping along side Miguel the pastor from Villa Franca. It drew Daniel and I closer together which will be beneficial when I'm serving in Villa Franca. The 2nd night of camp which was also the last was equally powerful if not more so. It was a night of passion filled worship and tears. I embraced several students both from Honduras and from the Georgia team and comforted them as best I could through hugs and prayer. That night I spent some time praying and talking with one member of the Georgia team in particular. The final morning of camp was awe inspiring. As the band played and Greg (the leader of the Georgia team) called for students to be like Ana and Dennis (the leaders of the mission) people were moved and Greg called students who had accepted Christ to come forward and take a bracelet that said Jesus is my purpose. He asked the students to pray over the bracelet they were taking. When I saw Daniel walking to the front I immediately went to him and wrapped an arm around him and began praying. I didn't know what was going on in his life or in his prayers, but I didn't let that inhibit me. As I prayed I asked God to rain down on that place and I began to hear drops hitting the roof and I fell to the ground. I kept praying harder and harder for God to fill that place and rain down with his spirit and power. As I prayed harder the rain came down harder and I fell more and more to my knees closer and closer to the ground until my face was in the ground. After students were dismissed to different groups to discuss ministry callings I went outside in the rain and just continued praying for God's presence and power. It was truly amazing to see what God had done in a camp originally planned to involve 90 students that grew to over 160. The night when we returned two of the students from the Georgia team were baptized. It was a great way to end an amazing day and I spent time talking with another student about their relationship with Christ and their testimony.

6-8-12 Camp!

Today we're preparing for camp which will take us away from the mission for 3 days. I'm still unsure whether or not Gustavo will be able to attend or not, but I hope he'll be there. Late last night and this morning the team staying here had baptisms. Two kids from the group were baptized again because they had been baptized young and wanted it to be a more conscious and spirit driven decision. The spirit is moving not only in the people we are serving and teaching, but in the very people that are serving and teaching. It's truly amazing what God is doing here. Please pray for his work to continue in the team and in those that will be attending camp. Pray that Michael and I will effectively serve and that Christ will work through us and supply the gift of communication when we need extra help. I will be unable to post for a few days so please continue your payers.

6-7-12 Amazed

Today was an amazing day. We traveled to the village of Los Jutes to house call. The first house we went to held a family consisting of an older couple and a son in his 20's. His name was Gustavo and we shared Bible verses with him. I shared Jeremiah 29:11-13 via Alberto our translator because he had previously been a church member and he had been baptized, but he hasn't attended church in three years. I explained to him that Christ has a plan for him, that when we pray God listens, and when we seek him we will find him. I encouraged him to go to church because it is a great place to find encouragement and help. We then prayed with him. After our team prayed for him I stayed behind and wrote my name in a Bible. I then on my own in Spanish told him that it was now his Bible, I said we are brothers in Christ, and I encouraged him to read his Bible a lot because it is full of  hope. I told him I would pray for him and his family.

Este es una Biblia y ahora es tu. Este es mi nombre y oracionare por tu y tu familia. Somos hermanos en Christo. Lee mucho por que la Biblia da mucha esperanza. (sorry I can't do accents)

It was amazing to share in such a powerful way and its all thanks to the guiding of the spirit and the spirit's communication expertise. While we were there we invited him to the camp we're putting on that begins tomorrow and if he decides to come I'll be paying his way. I also shared with three men who aren't Christians. They asked for us to pray for the project to bring running water to the village. I told them after we prayed, "When we drink water we will be thirsty again, but Christ is living water and when we drink from him we will thirst no more. When we feel empty he can fill us up." Later in my daily devotion the source verse cam from John 4 and it was about living water.

After this we went to a school and played with the kids and taught lessons. It was a ton of fun and I always love seeing the joy in the kids faces. It's a great way to spend a day, I hope there are more days like today. I can't wait for the camp that starts tomorrow. I won't be able to post anything for two days or so. Please continue to pray for the works of God. A girl from the team staying at the mission was baptized tonight.

6-6-12 Day 3

Today we fed children in Villa Franca as part of the weekly feeding program. We fed somewhere around 30 kids that we got to interact with. These kids who live in poverty wouldn't eat all of their burgers that we made. Many saved half or more to take home for brothers and sisters or for family. To a boy who can eat two burgers in a sitting it was eye opening and convicting. It truly put into perspective the blessing and curse of my American lifestyle. Afterwards we traveled to a public school where we shared testimonies, sang church songs, and prayed with the children. We worked with two classes and I was able to help with the communication. The children found my name Javier to be quite funny considering my gringo appearance. After we taught the classes we invited them to a VBS we're putting on next week. After this my favorite thing from elementary school returned. RECESS! I got to play soccer with the kids and all kinds of other games. Last year when we went to schools I was quiet and didn't spend a whole lot of time with many kids, but this year I jumped right in. I played with kids, picked them up, tickled them and the joy on their faces was a blessing. It was so much fun. I made a lot of friends and every time I asked "Somos amigos?"(Are we friends?) the answer was always si (yes). I learned a lot of names and saw even more faces. It was a rewarding experience that will become a great memory. The church service is about to start so I"ll end this post. Dios le Bendiga.

6-5-12 Night in Villa Franca

I spent the night in the home of the local pastor in Villa Franca. His family took me in as one of their own.
They prepared my own room for me which I will attempt to upload at some point. The language barrier of being in a foreign country is huge and humbling, but when you are staying with a family that speaks virtually no English and your Spanish vocabulary is meager at best it will certainly humble you completely. The family took care of me and fed me. They showed me a great amount of hospitality and I'm so thankful for their kindness. I'll get to spend 6 more nights with them throughout my time here on Tuesdays and through the weekends. The church community also welcomed me. Everyone in the congregation shook my hand and greeted me with a God bless you or a so nice to meet you. It was an amazing experience and to top it all of the mountain top view I had right outside my door was truly breath taking.

6-4-12 Day 2

I spent today around the mission. They told me this is the calm before the storm. Today we simply spent time around the mission house preparing for the team scheduled to arrive tomorrow. This included painting, cleaning, playing ping pong, and stocking the fridge. Micheal and I also spent time today preparing devotions that we need to be prepared to deliver at any moment. I prepared one for the prayer meeting I will be attending in Villa Franca tomorrow using Jeremiah 29:11-12 and Exodus 17:8-13. I talk about the power and necessity of prayer and how prayer is not only an personal activity, but also a group activity. The other is for teams that I may be required to talk to that are staying at the mission house that uses the Beatitudes, Matthew 10:32/42 and Matthew 25:31-46 which challenges them to be active in their faith and serve daily whether they're in Honduras or at home. Continued prayer will be much appreciated. Tomorrow the first team of the summer arrives. Please pray for them, the work they do, and the lives they touch. Also pray for my effectiveness as tomorrow I will be house calling in Villa Franca and spending the night there with the local pastor and his family. He speaks no English so pray for my ability to understand. I'm very excited to really jump into things and I'm very excited to see what God has in store. It will certainly be an adventure. Pray for the mission here and its staff as well as the local pastors. Good Night.